


I Love You Too

by ChocobroTM



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, CPR, Fluff and Angst, Kinda, M/M, Temporary Character Death, also they're young again, everything is the same except noctis lives, gladnoct - Freeform, resus, sorry i just prefer them that way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:34:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28915434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocobroTM/pseuds/ChocobroTM
Summary: "Love isn't something I do willy-nilly. So you're gonna live, because I'll be damned if that's how you say that to me for the first time."OrGladio refuses to accept Noct's fate and attempts to save his life.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 3
Kudos: 36





	I Love You Too

**Author's Note:**

> Everything is the same except that time moves differently in the Crystal. Rather than it being 10 years in real time, it's more like a few weeks. Not much time is lost, but Ardyn still takes the Citadel in the time that Noctis is not present. Due to this, Noctis and the others have had much less time to mentally prepare for what's to come. Please keep that in mind.

"No turning back now."

The words made Noctis' skin burn, both from anticipation and fear. This was what he had waited his entire life for. This was what he was _born_ to do. Regis gave his life to ensure Noctis could do the same when the time came.

So why did it feel so… wrong? Noctis paused, his breathing slightly elevated. He didn't want to die, but what choice did he have? What choice did any of them have? He turned around, his expression blank. Prompto wouldn't look at him. Ignis, still blind, had his head turned towards the ground. The only one who met his gaze was Gladio.

His shield.

The conversation when Noctis emerged from the crystal was rough. Gladiolus' job was to protect him, but Noctis had to ask him to do the opposite. He was going to die and Gladio would just have to stand by and let him. Needless to say, they weren't exactly on good terms right now. But Noctis refused to have any regrets.

"You did all you could. We tried to figure out another way but in the end, this was all we could do. You just need to-"

"Throw down our weapons and let you die?" Gladio spoke without venom, however his eyes told a different story. The vein in his forehead bulged with all the pent up words he knew he couldn't say.

"...You need to stand by me and trust the process. It's not ideal for anyone, Gladio. But if I don't do it-"

"We'll be trapped in eternal darkness. I know."

The three of them looked at the sky. The last time Noctis was here, it was blue, filled with clouds that he and Iris used to try and make shapes of as kids. Now it was purple, the smell of fire almost always wafting through the air. They were running out of time, and Noctis knew if Ardyn came back, he wouldn't have the strength to kill him again. Even now, he was weakened from their battle. Noctis straightened, clearing his throat.

"Prompto. Gladio. Ignis. I leave it to you. Walk tall… my friends."

Prompto let out a choked sob, but pulled himself together when Gladio placed a gentle hand on his back. Ignis led the bow that followed, which Noctis couldn't help but smile at. Of course, he'd be the only one who didn't break customs.

"Godspeed… and take care. Majesty."

Noctis locked eyes with Gladio once more as his head rose, at which Noctis mouthed the three words he'd never gotten to say. His shield's eyes widened, but before he could say a word, two Iron Giants spawned behind them. With a heavy heart, Noctis put a hand over his chest as well.

"The time has come."

"Noct, wait- Noct!"

He turned, running up the stairs, Gladio's faint yell piercing his ears. He pretended he couldn't hear them, knowing Gladio would never break his composure like that if the circumstances were any different.

Noctis approached the throne, his heart racing in his chest. This was it. Did he still have regrets? His hands slid across the throne as he spoke aloud to himself, letting his words echo through the empty room. 

"I’m home. I walked tall… And though it took me a while, I’m ready now. I love you all. Luna, guys… Dad. The time we had together… I cherish."

Noctis sat in the throne, his hands shaking. He wasn't ready to die. He didn't _want_ to. But what else was he supposed to do? They could run away, but that would doom all of Eos. This wasn't fair. He had barely lived. Tears pricked at his eyes, but the King angrily wiped them off.

Noctis took a deep breath, clutching the armrests on the throne as the ring began to glow. He couldn't hear over his accelerated heartbeat in his ears, but he could see the faint glow of his father's spirit. He laughed softly, the tears finally running down his face. 

"Kings of Lucis. Come to me!"

* * *

"Gladio, stop!"

"He's gonna get himself killed in there."

"You need to let him do this."

"My job is to _protect_ him."

"Your job is to obey orders!"

Gladio, Ignis, and Prompto screamed at each other across the battlefield. Iron Giants continued to spawn, seemingly with the sole purpose of keeping the three of them occupied. If he didn't know any better, Gladio would say Noct might have done it himself.

Everytime they slayed a beast, Gladio attempted to go racing up the steps, but he was stopped every time by a new foe and Prompto's arms wrapped around his bicep. It only took a few of those, however, before the man got fed up. He ripped his arm away from Prompto, slamming his sword into the ground with a loud grunt. A shockwave rippled through them, opening up the floor beneath them. The three barely moved in time, but were able to reach safety on the Citadel steps. Gladio returned the sword to his back, turning and walking up the stairs. After all, nothing else could reach them now.

"I stopped obeying orders from higher-ups when he started spouting that Bahamut crap. The Astrals contributed in killing Lady Lunafreya. I'm not letting them take another life for their benefit. I'm an Amicitia, and we don't sit back and watch."

Gladio pushed the doors open, stopping in his tracks at the sight he saw. Noctis sat hunched over in his throne, blood trailing down his hand, dripping off his fingers and onto the floor. He was pale and unmoving, Regis' sword holding his body in place. Prompto screamed, whereas Ignis stayed silent. Gladio had no doubt that he knew what they had walked into, though.

"Call the medics."

He left no room for discussion, quickly going over to Noct's body, looking for any sign of life or… hope.

"You think this is a damn joke?" He was gentle in his grasp, pushing Noctis' shoulder back and then ripping the large sword from his abdomen. "You think you can say something like that and then die? This isn't one of your games. This is real life. And you're not leaving it like that."

Gladio pulled a potion from his belt, using it on Noctis to close his wounds, though they'd have to go through intense healing later to truly heal. The potion did nothing for the silent heart in his chest. Gladio slid his arms underneath Noct's legs, lifting him with just as much grace as he had so many times in the past. Even in death, he was light.

"Love isn't something I do willy-nilly. So you're gonna live, because I'll be damned if that's how you say that to me for the first time." He placed Noctis on the floor, breaths coming quicker than he might ever admit. Noctis had to kill Ardyn before anything else. If Gladio brought him back before then, all of this would have been for naught. So he waited for the sky to clear up, for the world to be saved. He waited for the clouds to roll in, for the sun to reach the middle of the sky. He waited… until he couldn't anymore.

"Screw this." He positioned himself over Noctis, his hands finding the right spot on his chest before he pressed down. Once he was sure about his positioning, he repeated the motion, finding a rhythm. He watched Noctis' body rock, his lips parted and blue. Gladiolus bent down, pressing his lips to the cold ones below him and exhaling. Noctis' chest rose and fell, and then proceeded to stay still.

"Cmon, Noct." He continued, afraid of the crack he most definitely heard come from his boyfriend’s chest. And yet, a cracked rib was the least of his concerns. He pressed down harder and faster, losing form and growing manic. "Come _on_ , Noct!" 

Ignis placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Gladio-"

"Stop." Another rescue breath.

"He lost his pulse long before we arrived."

"I can get it back." More compressions. More breaths.

"I regret to inform you that the chances of that are extremely low."

"Yeah? Well, they ain't zero."

"Gladio."

"I can _do_ this!"

"GLADIOLUS. ENOUGH!"

The scream echoed throughout the Citadel, spooking even Gladio, as they'd never heard Ignis raise his voice in such a manner. He stopped, his hands shaking from the mere adrenaline of trying.

"It's over. Let him rest."

Anger bubbled in the pit of his stomach. Why? Why _him_? He had barely gotten to live, let alone breathe without the weight of his destiny on his back. Why wasn't he allowed happiness at the end of this? "Fuck!" Gladio rose his fist, bringing it back down on Noct's chest. He left it there, uncurling it and laying his palm flat against him. He softened his voice.

"I'm sorry."

Silence fell over the Citadel once more, as if their grief and mourning was finally allowed to happen. Prompto sat down near the door, keeping his sobs as quiet as he could. Ignis kept his hand on Gladio's shoulder. And Gladio kept his hand on Noctis' chest. The trio shut their eyes and let their heads fall.

Until he felt it.

Gladio raised his head, frowning. It was faint, but there. The gentle and slow bumps against his palm. He lifted his hand, finding that it wasn't shaking or throbbing, but was steady, meaning that had come from the body beneath him. He tested the theory again, hand moving to his neck this time, pressing his fingers against his veins. Sure enough, there it was. Weak, but present. A pulse.

Holy shit, he was alive.

"Noct? Noctis." He shook his shoulder gently, only growing rougher when Noctis didn't respond. After a moment, he stirred, nothing but a pained whine coming from his lips. Gladio exhaled heavily, turning back to Prompto. "I told you we'd need a medic."

Prompto, both overjoyed and shocked, sprang up from his spot and saluted. "Y-yeah! Oh my god. Holy-" He went running, Ignis letting out a click of his teeth before following. He placed his hand on Gladio's shoulder one more time. "I'm sorry-"

"Don't be. I'll stay with him. Go." Ignis nodded, taking off after Prompto. 

Gladio returned his attention to Noctis, who was now curling up into a ball, face contorted with pain. Okay, so maybe Gladio could have been less rough with the CPR, after all, his body had just taken the beating of a lifetime. But it had worked out in the end. "Hey. Where's it hurtin'?"

"Where isn't it hurting?" He groaned back, but it was the most beautiful sound to Gladio right now. He pulled Noctis up into a sitting position, being as gentle as possible. He wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into his chest as they sat on the ground. It wasn't a new position for them, but Gladio's grip was almost crushing to Noct's weakened body right now.

"You're a dumb ass."

"Gee, thanks."

He loosened his grip, letting Noctis shift and get comfortable. It was just them. Gladio stared at the sky again, happy to see the light shining through the lack of a ceiling. So he succeeded in finishing Ardyn, and therefore Gladio hadn't doomed the rest of Eos with his selfish act. 

"You know you don't have to be the hero. Not by yourself."

Noctis didn't respond, but he nuzzled his head against Gladio's chest, a sign that he was exhausted. Gladio spoke again.

"You died."

"You brought me back."

"I shouldn't have had to."

"Glad-"

"You scared the hell out of me."

Silence, but it was what he expected anyway. Noctis had just been miraculously saved. Maybe now wasn't the time for his famously mistimed lectures. Gladio sighed, pulling Noctis closer.

"Ya tired?"

"Mm."

"Get some rest."

"Here?"

"It wouldn't be the first time you slept in my arms, Princess."

"Screw you."

Gladio chuckled, staring down at the Prince- no, King - in his grasp. He had already passed back out, but Gladio would monitor him until the medics would take him. For now, he'd carry him out, let him sleep. Once upon a time, he would teased him for how tiny he was within Gladio's arms. He would compare him to a kitten in how he nuzzled into Gladio's chest, and how he slept no matter how much the giant jostled him.

Maybe for once, he would see that as a blessing instead of something to tease. As he lifted Noctis, Gladio found that he was glad with how well he fit into his arms. He was glad that no matter how much he moved, Noctis could stay asleep… he needed it right now. He was glad that he was fast enough to be able to carry him out this way rather than as the limp corpse he had lifted from the throne.

He was glad he would get to hear Noctis say I Love You correctly, rather than as a parting message.

"I love you too… dumb ass."

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written a fic in... a very long time. I also don't really know how to write Gladio. But I've recently started shipping GladNoct and thinking about the ending so... have this.
> 
> Might delete it later lmao


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